Sands of the Desert
by Istalindar
Summary: FINSIHED This is the sequel to Queens of Mordor. Legolas left Jané pregnant with a daughter, and she is kidnapped by one of the Haradrim tribes, and Jané must tell Legolas what's going on before she can enlist his help.
1. Memories

I closed my eyes, trying to think what to write. There was so much that had happened in the five years that we had been separated, that I hardly knew where to start.  
  
He had left one morning while I still slept – that night I had told him I wouldn't marry him. I hadn't seen the necessity for it, the way I saw it, we were already married, in our hearts and minds if not in the marriage registers. He had gotten huffy and I told him we'd discuss it in the morning. He'd rolled over, and when I woke up the following morning he was gone.  
  
*&*  
  
Three months later I discovered something that caused me to burst into tears again. But I told nobody but Kera. She had taken over regency for me when I sunk into depression just after Legolas left, even though she was pregnant with her first child. A wave of widespread dislike for the Legolas had spread over the country, and I had done nothing to prevent it. To tell the truth, I wasn't entirely pleased with him either.  
  
*&*  
  
Nine months after Legolas left me, I gave birth to two daughters. The first was blonde, but stillborn. I named her Raiza, which meant 'lost one' in the old language. When the second girl was born, I despaired of her life, until she screamed loudly and looked at me accusatorily with familiar blue eyes. Her hair was a tuft of ginger on the crown of her head, and I recognised her.  
  
"Welcome, Bria."  
  
*&*  
  
Weak though the birth had left me, I led Raiza's mini-funeral. It was then that I saw the extent of my popularity, when what seemed to be the entire population of Anorondor turned up for the funeral, and many cried as though Raiza had been their daughter, not mine. Bria grew stronger by the day, and was never at a loss to voice her opinions, even as all she could manage was a lusty wail when she was displeased.  
  
A nagging thought returned often to me, that I had not told Legolas of the birth of the twins, and the death of the first. Already Bria showed signs of her father's smile, and she often looked at me with the same calculating expression that he had.  
  
But I never told him, feeling that I was unready to face him, even to tell him of the birth of his daughter.  
  
Bria grew up to be a very attentive girl, although she was as flighty as Éowyn and Kera had been when they were younger. Kera often despaired of her, and apologised profusely for ever putting me through the same thing she went through with Bria. Kera had her own little boy, who drove me wild even more than Bria did, with his constant disappearances. Often the servants around the reclaimed palace would find the two children in unusual places, and often the servants nearly had heart attacks when the two children jumped out at them.  
  
When Bria reached five years old, I began teaching her about Anorondor, its history, both past and recent. After all, she was to be Queen after me, no matter how long I lived. But the thought nagged at me even more now that Bria was older, and almost everything she did reminded me of her absent father. That was what brought me to my current activity, trying to think of what to write, and how to tell Legolas that I had borne and brought up his daughter for five years.  
  
*&*  
  
Okay folks, tell me if you like it. I know this bit is short, but it could get longer, if you want me to make it so. Istalindar 


	2. Old Acquaintances

OMG! I can't believe I got so many reviews! I think that is the most I've ever got in such a short time! (I got 8 all on the 14th of March – how cool is that?) You guys have no idea how happy you've made me. And my ego is so huge I'll have to walk through a door sideways, but that's ok. Here's your second chapter, and for those of you who care about disclaimers (cuz most of the characters are so obviously not mine): none of the characters recognizable from the books Lord of the Rings (and others) are mine, but if anybody's selling Legolas I'll be happy to take him off your hands. (man is he fine!)  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A loud crash and a whoosh tore my thoughts away from the nearly finished letter. I signed my name and rolled it up, stuffing it in the pocket of my robe even as I surged up from my chair, knocking it over and nearly tripping over it in my hurry to run down the hall to the room from where the noise had come from. Bria's room.  
  
The lintel around the door was on fire. And even as I ran towards the door, Bria ran out, followed closely by a strange man that really shouldn't have been there. I thrust my hands out to ward him off and a great stream of purple flame streamed from my palms into his face.  
  
He screamed as flame consumed him, and I scooped up Bria and ran. I slipped behind a pillar and into one of the secret exits, and ran along the dark corridor, the floor cold under my feet and a bitter wind going straight through my thin cotton nightdress. Bria had buried her face in my shoulder, and was holding tight to my neck, pulling on my hair as she did so.  
  
I put her down momentarily to push aside the great rock blocking the exit, then scooped her into my arms as I ran out of the tunnel into the dim early morning light. I had barely run seven steps from the passage when there was a great explosion, and Bria and I were thrown flat, and bits of burning wood and sharp bits of stone flew around us, landing scant inches from us.  
  
"Ama." Bria whimpered. I looked up and could see in the faint light a figure standing above us, his drawn sword glinting in the faint light of the setting moon.  
  
"How touching. The Queen and Princess, on the floor before a commoner." I swiftly rose to my feet.  
  
"Curb your tongue." I snapped, drawing all my queenly dignity, acquired during my time as ruler of Mordor, around me.  
  
"Per'aps not, yer ladyship." He drawled. He raised his sword. "Time to curb you though." Bria turned her great blue-gray eyes at me, and kissed my cheek. Then she turned her head back and buried it against my neck. I stared levelly at the man. I knew I could not outrun him, not holding Bria. So it seemed dignified death was the way to go. I can think of worse.  
  
Then there was a sickening squelch, and the man froze, then slowly toppled forward. I stepped daintily out the way, and the man fell face down on the place I had been standing, a kitchen knife sticking from his back.  
  
One of the peasant women stood behind him, a slight dark splatter of blood on her face.  
  
"Well? Are ye to be standin' around in t'cold w'princess all mornin', or are ye coming in?" she asked, with the common peasant accent. I followed her into her little hut. It was small and round. It had a dirt floor with a fire in the centre. Bria kicked and I let her down, and she went straight over to the fire, warming her hands by it. The peasant woman fussed over her ridiculously, and Bria enjoyed every minute of it.  
  
Soon the woman had us sat together on a blanket by the fire, wrapped in brightly coloured shawls, which were warm if not tatty, and sipping ale. I wasn't sure about my five-year-old daughter drinking alcohol, but I thought the one time wouldn't hurt.  
  
*&*  
  
We spent the rest of the night in the small hut. It was small, cramped, dirty and smelly, but it was better than sleeping outside. We were surprisingly warm, and I noticed the woman spent the entire night by the small door to the hut, clutching a knife. I was touched by her loyalty.  
  
When the sun rose over the east mountains, I rose, leaving Bria on the pile of blankets that served as a bed. I clutched the shawl tighter around my shoulders as I left the hut.  
  
My palace was barely more than a smouldering ruin now, with traces of smoke still floating to the sky. I leaned against the wall of the hut, folding my arms so the ends of the red and yellow patterned shall were securely fastened, so the wind that blew my night-dress around my ankles didn't leave with the shawl as well.  
  
"My lady!" I looked to my right to see one of my officials running towards me. His name was Balten. Nice lad, just a tad arrogant, and thought himself somewhat better than he was.  
  
"My lady! Thank goodness you're safe! We've been looking all over for you! Where's the princess?" He stood before me.  
  
"She's safe." I answered evasively. "How is everyone else?"  
  
"We have accounted for most. We are still bringing bodies out the wreckage, though." I frowned.  
  
"I want the names of all the deceased, and –" I was interrupted by horns. Balten sprang before me, sword drawn. Then I saw the armor of the approaching party.  
  
"It's Gondor!" I cried, pushing past him. I was met just before the men by my brother, who took me by the shoulders and looked at me searchingly.  
  
"Get your hands off her, knave!" Balten cried, pushing me away and standing before Aragorn, sword drawn.  
  
"Balten." I said sternly, using my 'queen voice'. He glanced at me. "Balten, put your sword away. Then step back. That is the king of Gondor and my brother." Balten stepped back, and I took his place, grinning at Aragorn, who looked a little shocked.  
  
"Aragorn. How are you?" I asked. He blinked at me.  
  
"Fine, thank you. Though I can't say the same for you." He glanced over my shoulder at my blackened palace. "What happened?"  
  
"Someone-"  
  
"Ama? I heard voices. Are you alright?" Bria slowly left the hut, the old woman following. The shawl wrapped around Bria was big, and she was swathed in it. She came over, and pulled at my hand, reverting to the signal she had used as a young child to tell me she wanted picking up.  
  
I obliged and kissed her cheek. Then I turned to Aragorn, who looked shocked. "Bria, this is your uncle Aragorn, although people call him Elessar now. Aragorn, this is your niece, Bria." Bria chose that moment to push her red-blonde hair behind her ears, revealing the pointed tips. I can't say much for her timing.  
  
"Does he know?" Aragorn asked me seriously. I shook my head.  
  
"It's just me and B, isn't it, sweetheart?" Bria nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck, dislodging her shawl. "Legolas left me, Aragorn. Not the other way around. He put me through a lot of stuff I really didn't need. Kera got a lot of practice stewarding, she's gotten really good."  
  
"Ada left when Ama needed him." Bria said. "Especially after Raiza."  
  
"Bria, honey, please be quiet." I said. Bria looked at me with big blue eyes and blinked.  
  
"Sorry Ama." She said softly. I kissed her forehead.  
  
"Who's Raiza?" Aragorn asked me.  
  
"Bria was a twin. Raiza, the elder twin, was born stillborn. The birth nearly killed us all, didn't it, lovely?" Bria nodded, "but we lived. But I can't have any more children, so Bria is my only." Aragorn frowned.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, sounding hurt.  
  
"Aragorn, Arwen and I were pregnant at the same time. You were too busy worrying about Eldarion to worry about me. It's all right. You weren't expected." Aragorn raised his eyebrows.  
  
"I didn't know that. How is it that you know of Eldarion, but I didn't know of Bria?"  
  
"Because Eldarion's birth was made public to most of Middle Earth. Bria's was kept within Anorondor." Aragorn nodded.  
  
Then I curtsied. "Welcome, King Elessar, to fair Anorondor." He laughed.  
  
*&*  
  
A few days later, Aragorn, Bria and I were starting to reorganize my people, and we were starting to plan the construction of the new palace, which would be by the cliffs of the Sea of Nurnen, in the south of Anorondor. I had only seen the sea in passing, but had never checked the site for building. I had sent people now to survey the site and the surrounding lands. Bria was very excited at the prospect of building an entire new palace, and both Aragorn and I hid smiles at her enthusiasm.  
  
We were standing around outside, listening to Bria chatter on excitedly, when there was a yell and a whistle, and a knife of pain sank into my side. I gasped and stumbled sideways, and Aragorn quickly caught me. Bria, I was shocked to see, was ordering people around in a very organized manner, and in no time at all there was a circle of guards around us.  
  
"Right." Bria said, turning back to us. "Uncle Aragorn, if you could lay her down, then you can push the arrow through. Then I'll heal her." Disregarding maternal pride completely, I stared. Five year old Bria was acting with all the assurance and knowledge of one five times her age. She put her hands on her hips when neither Aragorn nor I moved. "Well?" She demanded. Aragorn hastily laid me down, and Bria grasped my hand. A whistle of many arrows broke through my pain, and looking up I could see volleys of arrows flying above me, going in both directions. So someone was retaliating. Good.  
  
I was brought back to the present with a gasp when Aragorn pushed the arrow through me, then he gave a yank from my back and triumphantly showed me a bloody arrow.  
  
Bria knelt beside me, and a soft green flame flared from her palms. She placed her hands against my wounds, and I gave a sigh of relief as my pain left me.  
  
"What, by Valar, is that?" Aragorn demanded. Bria shrugged.  
  
"Magic. Palm-fire, the cook calls it. Good a name as any, I suppose." I said with a smile. Then I stood, the sound of arrows had ceased. I pushed past the circle of guards, and Aragorn and Bria followed.  
  
Standing before me was Legolas, backed by the archers of Mirkwood. When he saw me, his gaze flicked to the bloodstain on my rose coloured gown where the arrow had hit me. Then he bowed formally.  
  
"Your majesty." He said softly. I curtsied politely.  
  
"Your highness. Your timing is immaculate, as ever." He gave a small smile.  
  
"Legolas! Thank Valar you're here!" Aragorn exclaimed.  
  
"Good to see you too, my friend." Legolas said warmly with a smile, and my heart nearly stopped. I had forgotten how beautiful he was.  
  
"Ama? Who's that?" Bria pulled at my sleeve, and I looked down at her. Her timing was really, really bad.  
  
"That is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, love." I told her. She curtsied to him, and he bowed with a faint smile of amusement playing across his lips.  
  
"Jané!" A talking whirlwind hugged me tightly, then scooped up Bria. "Little Princess! I was so worried about you both!" When the whirlwind stopped, I could see Kera, elegantly dressed in dark blue, draped in a gray velvet cloak. "I was so worried!" She repeated, kissing me on both cheeks. "I heard the palace went up and my first thought was you and Bria. I'm so glad you're well!"  
  
"Kera." She shut up immediately as I spoke, and I gestured towards Aragorn and Legolas. She blushed as scarlet as the red trees embroidered onto the front of her cloak. She curtsied deeply.  
  
"My lords." She murmured. Both Legolas and Aragorn were grinning.  
  
"Lady Kera. It is good to see you again." Legolas said with a chuckle.  
  
"And you, Lord Legolas. You have not come to see us in too long. Jané was..." she caught my gaze and her voice trailed away.  
  
"My lady. We've found a safe place for you and your daughter to stay." A guard ran up and I resisted the urge to slap him. Why was I surrounded by people who had no sense of timing?  
  
"Ama? I like the old lady, and her house. I want to stay there." She tugged on my hand insistently, and I picked her up.  
  
"We'll see, lovely." I said as she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. I was infinitely aware of Legolas' gaze. He was not happy.  
  
There you go, another chapter. I'm going to try to update once or twice a week if I can, but I'm using my mum's computer and she can get very possessive. So I'll do my best. Hope you liked it.  
  
Thanks to: YeLLoSpRiNkOz  
  
Salty Peanut Butter aka NINA  
  
Kizume Bass – Istalindar means spellsingers in elvish. I actually meant to have the singular, but got used to the plural before I noticed I had it wrong.  
  
Nyd  
  
Cerulean Sage  
  
Stun04  
  
Orli's babe  
  
Thank you all so much for reviewing, I'm glad you like my stories. 


	3. What we have come to

As it turned out, we spent another night at the old woman's hut. After I tucked Bria in and whispered a story to her, watching her eyes droop shut with every word, I carefully and silently scooped up the shawl and left the hut, wrapping it around my shoulders.  
  
I walked around the remains of my palace, appalled at the ruins that had been made of it. I had been picking my way through the wreckage when I dislodged a piece of charred wood. It slipped to the side, and revealed an equally charred and blackened corpse. Despite the burns and soot, I could still recognise Ella, one of Bria's nursemaids. I stepped back in horror, aghast at the thought that Ella's corpse could have been mine, or worse, Bria's. I stumbled back, away from the body.  
  
"Easy." A strong hand caught my elbow, and another rested in the small of my back, steadying me. "Easy. Are you alright?" I nodded in answer to Legolas' question. He led me out the ruins, steadying me and guiding me as wracking sobs shuddered through me and tears ran down my face, the first time I had cried since the fire.  
  
Once out of the wreckage, he took me in his arms, and I sobbed into his chest, my hands clutching at his tunic. He whispered in elvish to me, stroking my hair, and I tried desperately to ignore our closeness, and the love that bloomed in my heart. A love I had thought long dead and gone.  
  
After a while, I pulled away, wiping my tears on my sleeve and sniffing.  
  
"I'm sorry." I said with a shaky smile. "She was Bria's nursemaid and a good friend. She...sorry." I had been about to say she had been the midwife at Bria's birth, but the old saying came back to me, 'when you're in a hole, stop digging.' I waited for the inevitable question about Bria and her parentage, but it didn't come.  
  
"Losing friends is always hard." Was all he said, and I nodded.  
  
"My lady! My lady – oh!" I have far too many guards, and a fat lot of good it did me. All they do in barge in at the exact wrong moment.  
  
"What is it?" I asked. The guard's eyes flicked between Legolas and myself. "Go on." I urged. "He's an old friend."  
  
"Your daughter is asking for you. And we've captured one of the archers." I nodded, and Legolas and I started back to the village.  
  
At the hut, Bria ran out, flinging her arms around my waist. I knelt before her, taking her into my arms and hugging her.  
  
"Bria, sweetling, what's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"I dreamt of you and Ada. Only Ada made you mad and you cried." Almost involuntarily, my gaze rose to Legolas, and locked with his piercing stare. His eyes darkened in anger, and I tightened my hold on Bria. Without saying anything, I had answered his unasked question. And I would not release my daughter without a fight. I risked my sanity for Legolas, but I would risk my life and the lives of all I held dear for Bria.  
  
"It's alright, sweetheart. Your Ada and I have argued before." I comforted her.  
  
"But he made you cry!" Bria protested, her eyes rising to Legolas, who stood above us, his height intimidating.  
  
"Many things make me cry, pet, but what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, eh? Are you sure you're alright?" I tucked her red-gold curls behind her pointed ears, ignoring Legolas' swift intake of breath at the elven shape. She nodded.  
  
"Be careful, Ama. Goodnight Ama." She murmured. She looked up and Legolas. "Goodnight Ada." Then she disappeared into the hut. I started walking towards the guard post. Legolas grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him.  
  
"Why did you never tell me?" He demanded furiously. I don't think he has ever been this mad at me before.  
  
"You never asked, did you?" I retorted angrily. "Just stormed off without a word, leaving me pregnant with twins!" His jaw dropped in disbelief. "Yes!" I spat. "Twins. Raiza was born stillborn. And I had no one but my new-born daughter to look to!" Legolas and I glared at each other, our wills meeting and clashing between us. I sighed and looked away, suddenly very tired of the whole affair.  
  
"Can we talk about this after we deal with the prisoner? I promise you we'll talk then." He nodded reluctantly.  
  
*&*  
  
The prisoner was one of the folk of Rhûn, the land directly north of Anorondor. He was clothed in black, and his dark skin and hair made him hard to see in the dark. He smirked when Legolas and I walked in. At my gesture the guards left.  
  
"What was your pay?" I demanded bluntly.  
  
"Ah, your majesty. Sweet little daughter you have. Is he her sire? Strange. I thought the queens rarely let the fathers of their offspring near the children, to prevent contamination." Legolas took a menacing step forward, but I put my arm out and he halted.  
  
"Shall we make this easy, Rhûnman, or shall we make it hard?" I asked sweetly. My palms itched with the gathering palm-fire. He suddenly lunged for me, his bonds somehow undone. My palms shot out, and two twisting, sparking ropes of purple fire wrapped around his wrists and hauled him off the ground. He screamed.  
  
"Listen to me, Rhûnman." I demanded, and he looked down at me. "This fire will consume you, slowly and painfully, unless you answer my questions. You heard what happened to Arkor, did you not? He was a Rhûnman also, as I recall." The man nodded frantically. I had sent Arkor back to Rhûn alive, though his burns would scar him for life. He had attacked Bria and Janor, Kera's son, while they played years ago. That was when Bria had first demonstrated her own deadly palm-fire. I had not burnt Arkor – Bria had, and she had been as cruel and merciless as I planned to be.  
  
"What was your pay?" I demanded.  
  
"You, and your bitch daughter!" He gasped. There was a low growl behind me and I realised it was Legolas.  
  
"Me and Bria? And what makes you think you can keep us, Rhûnman?" I asked mockingly.  
  
"Morgoth would return. Sauron also. Then I would have you. They would cage you like a mockingbird!" He grinned, and so did I. His screams abruptly increased in both pitch and amplitude, as the fire burned hotter.  
  
"No one cages the Queen of Anorondor, fool!" I hissed. "Not without getting burnt." There was a great flash of purple, then the wind caught the ashes of the Rhûnman, and sent them far to the north, back to his country. I turned to Legolas.  
  
"Now. We need to talk." He stared at me in shock, and I shrugged. What was the use of having the ability if you never used it?  
  
"You killed him in cold blood!" He exclaimed. I shrugged, my eyes locked on his.  
  
"Don't tell me you would not. Have not." I amended. He opened his mouth to argue, and I held up my hand to stop him. "If he had attacked your family, would you not defend them and take revenge on their assassin?" Legolas nodded slowly.  
  
"I would. How did you-"  
  
"Know of your wife and daughter? Much news comes into Anorondor, though little leaves. No, I wasn't spying on you-" I said hastily as his face slowly contorted into anger. "My friend Naera comes from Mirkwood, although she lives here now. She returned to Mirkwood to visit her friends and family. During her stay you were married and Isolde was born. Congratulations, by the way." I added. His marriage to Mairra and the birth of Isolde had hit me hard, and I would freely admit it was one of the reasons why I had not told him of Bria. I had already lost my soul mate; I would not lose my daughter also.  
  
"Legolas, no matter what mistakes we have made in our lives, I would like to remains friends. We've known each other for many years, and I-"  
  
"Agreed." He interrupted. "For such friends as we are, a quarrel would be unwarranted." He took my hand and kissed the back of it gently, and I could have sworn I saw a spark of the feeling he once held for me. Perhaps he still loved me after all. But then he bade me goodnight and left me, and I went to bed.  
  
Aragorn and Legolas, plus their respective entourages left a couple weeks later. The plans for the new palace were well underway, and Bria and I were very busy getting things organised. Legolas and Aragorn called us childish more than once before they left. Bria and I were enjoying ourselves far too much to care.  
  
That's the end of chapter 3, and we should get some decent action started soon. I hope you still like this; I'm trying to make it good for the people who managed to plow through all of Queens of Mordor. I'm so sorry it took so long, but I've been helping my friend fix up her new house in France (and it is bloody freezing there!) . Tell me what you think, love Istalindar 


	4. Palace Parties

The palace was finished the spring of Bria's fifteenth year, the year 3034 of the third age. Bria and I held a big party, both as a 'house' warming, and as a celebration of Bria's fifteenth, and her woman-making.  
  
She had grown tall and willowy, with thick dark red hair, and snapping blue eyes. She had a quick mind, and a quicker tongue. She was fast and agile, both at dancing and at fighting. In my eyes, she was perfect.  
  
Invitations had gone out to just about all of the Western Kingdoms. The rulers of Gondor, Rohan, and Mirkwood were all invited, plus people of the Shire, the desert elves of the south, and many others from kingdoms and realms both far and near.  
  
It was the morning before the party, and Bria was already worrying excessively. She sorted through piles of silken dresses in rainbow colours, picking them up and discarding them with lighting speed. She eventually settled on a jade green ensemble, in the current fashion that was designed to withstand the excessive heat of Anorondorian summer.  
  
It was a long, low-rise skirt that swept the floor and clung to her curves. A tight sleeveless top clung to her torso, and a silken gauze overdress fastened up the front with tiny jade buttons.  
  
It may not have been the most modest outfit in the world, but the heat of Anorondorian summers meant that men worked shirtless, and women wore loose light gauzes, and spent a lot of time in the shade.  
  
I did not change clothes until the last minute, when Bria near enough dragged me to my room and ordered me to get dressed. Her anxiety made me smile, although it matched my earlier feelings when I was organising the preparations for the ball. It was Bria's first, after all.  
  
I decided on an outfit near enough identical to Bria's in style, although it was a dusky pink. My hair was swept up onto the back of my head with lots of gold clips and pins, and three chains of pink rubies were draped across my forehead. I wore a tiny sun pendant set with a pink topaz at my throat, and gold bangles hung from my wrists. My ears dripped tiny chains of pink rubies, and the only ring I wore was the Mirkwood ring set with emeralds. I did not do this in spite, only because I had never taken it off and I doubted that it would come off now, sixteen years after it was first put on. Besides. It was a gift and I liked it. Why shouldn't I wear it?  
  
*&*  
  
The party was in full swing and going well. I was busy mingling, and I imagine Bria was off charming all the young men, as she had a tendency to do. She was never serious about it, though, and she never hesitated to rebuff the men who thought she was. Kera's youngest was gathering adoring glances, Jemeili was at the age when little girls are positively adorable, and they know enough of the world to keep their moods in check to either keep the adoring looks or to make use of them.  
  
Coran, Kera's eldest son who was the same age as Bria, was trying desperately to give the young ladies who followed after him like love- struck puppies the slip. He had his own sweetheart, a lovely girl called Emsda, and he didn't want another at this particular moment in time.  
  
"Coran?" I called. He looked over to me with a relieved glance. "Be a dear and find the Princess Bria for me?" He flashed me a grin and took off, and I held back the young ladies, and soon redirected them to another young, and as of yet unengaged, lord.  
  
I was talking to Arwen and Aragorn when Legolas and a woman I could only assume was Mairra joined us. I disliked Mairra instantly, though I admit I could have been a bit prejudiced. After all, this was the woman married to my soulmate.  
  
We were all talking and exchanging stories of children, since all of our children were present: Isolde from Mirkwood, Eldarion and Elise from Gondor, and of course Bria, when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned and found Jacon, Kera's husband, standing beside me, Isolde and Bria before him, his hands clamped on their shoulders.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" Mairra gasped dramatically. I could have sworn I saw Aragorn roll his eyes. I could see quite clearly what was going on – Isolde had a slap mark on her right cheek, and Bria had scratches across her left jaw and down her neck. It seemed that our daughters felt the same enmity that their mothers did. "Unhand my daughter immediately!" Jacon released them, although they didn't move from their position before him.  
  
"I found them in the garden, your majesties," he said to me and Mairra. "Screaming and fighting they were. Coran had tried to separate them, although he didn't manage very well."  
  
"Is he alright?" I asked. Coran meant well, he just had a habit of trying to stop Bria fighting, and usually ending up the worse for it.  
  
"Forget the servant boy! What happened to my daughter!" Mairra cried. I felt my face go blank and cold.  
  
"Coran is no servant boy, he is a prince." I saw all present look at me, surprised at my cold voice. "You will kindly apologise to his father immediately, Princess Mairra." I stressed the 'princess' part, and I knew she got my meaning when I implied that her status was no better than Coran's. Mairra looked at me, and inclined my head towards Jacon. She dipped a slight, almost impolite curtsy.  
  
"My apologies." She said sullenly.  
  
"Accepted," Jacon said easily. I knew his easy acceptance would irritate Mairra more than ever, and I blessed Jacon's relaxed nature.  
  
"What is this about?" I addressed the two girls. Isolde dropped her eyes, but Bria looked up at me, her eyes still bright with fury.  
  
"We were arguing about which kingdom was better, and which was more dangerous, that kind of thing. Then she said some really mean and disrespectful things, and I slapped her. Then she lashed out at me and scraped me." Bria said. She was telling the truth. I glanced up and saw Legolas staring at me. He knew I could usually tell if people were telling the truth or not, so I nodded. Legolas nodded back.  
  
"What did she say?" He asked Bria.  
  
"Your highness." She acknowledged politely. "I suppose I started it, because I said at least Ama was queen. Then Isolde said Ama looked like a whore, so maybe there wasn't all that much difference, and that was probably why I didn't have a father. Then I told her to take it back, and that I had a father, and I knew who he was, he just didn't live with us. Then she said at least she had a father, who would be King, and I slapped her. Then she lashed out and scraped me." Legolas was paler than normal, and his eyes darker than normal. Mairra looked almost proud of her disrespectful offspring.  
  
"Isolde!" He said sharply. She looked up at him. "Tell me true. Is that what you said to Princess Bria, and what she said in return." Isolde nodded slowly. "Isolde!" He snapped warningly.  
  
"Yes Ada. That's what I said." She blushed scarlet, obviously embarrassed that her comments about my clothes came out in front of me.  
  
"You will apologise immediately to the Queen and to the Princess." He said.  
  
"But Legolas-" Mairra said. I could not believe my ears! She was protesting to Isolde apologising!  
  
"Silence." He growled, and Mairra shut up. Isolde turned to me, and curtsied low.  
  
"I'm sorry, your majesty." She mumbled, barely audibly.  
  
"What was that, Isolde?" Legolas asked.  
  
"No!" I intervened, with a smile. At least Isolde had the respect to be ashamed. "I heard, Prince Legolas. And I accept your apology, Princess Isolde. I understand quick tempers, having one myself. Although I do not think this is entirely fair. Bria, you will apologise to Princess Isolde for striking her, and for anything hurtful you said about her and her family." Bria nodded.  
  
"I'm sorry, Isolde. I shouldn't have lost my temper, and I shouldn't have struck you. And I did start the argument, so it was my fault." She curtsied to Isolde, probably the first princess-to-princess curtsey Isolde had received, judging by her expression, and held out her hand.  
  
"I'd like to show you something, if you don't dislike me too much." Bria said. I was amazed by her mood swing, but Isolde took her hand, curtsied hastily to the rest of us, and then was dragged away by Bria. I smiled slightly to one of the nearby guards and gestured, and he silently slipped from his post to follow them, and keep them out of further trouble.  
  
"That was impressive." Éowyn said, approaching us. I rolled my eyes. Mairra gave a huff and flounced away, and Legolas gave us a helpless look before he followed. Faramir also joined us.  
  
"It was unnecessary." I scowled. "Bria should have kept her temper."  
  
"At least she kept her mouth shut." Aragorn offered helpfully. I rolled my eyes at him, although he was right. Soon Éomer joined us, with his wife Renalli who he married two years ago, and we were all talking and laughing about our various offspring. Even quiet, steady Éomer joined in, as his daughter Lorilei had the same unfortunate habit my daughter had: running off and getting into fights.  
  
And so the night went on.  
  
*&*  
  
Well? Do you like it? Pls review and tell me. I'll try and be as regular about updating as I can, but I've got huge exams coming up soon and I might not be allowed on the computer sometimes, but I'll do my best. Istalindar 


	5. Council for the Lost

A/N: Thanks to: DesolateAznVamp Salty Peanut Butter - Thanks for telling me about Eomer, who he married and about his son. I'm not actually going to change it now, because I'm pretty sure he doesn't really come into the story again. But to everyone else, I did make a mistake, as pointed about by Salty Peanut Butter (thanks), Eomer married Lothíriel, the daughter of Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth and they had a son named Elfwine, so in my last chapter I just made it up. Please forgive me, but I'm glad you like it anyway.  
  
*&*  
  
I had excused myself from the party momentarily, to get a breath of fresh air and a bit of quiet. Parties always made my head swim.  
  
I could see from the position of the moon that it must have been nearing two in the morning, and I sat in a bench, enjoying the cool night breeze that teased my clothing.  
  
A low moan grasped my attention, and I rose from the bench. I found the source a little way into the hedge labyrinth I had painstakingly created. The guard I had sent after Isolde and Bria lay on the floor, a cut across his forehead and a lump rising on the crown of his head. He opened his eyes when he felt my hands on his cheeks.  
  
"Princesses." He whispered, then fainted. I gave a frantic high whistle, and soon five guards ran into the labyrinth.  
  
"There's been an attack." I said shortly. "Two of you follow me, the other three, take the injured guard to his room, then organise a search for Princess Bria. Do not interrupt the party. Be silent and subtle. Understood?"  
  
"Majesty." They saluted, and three separated off and the other two followed me as I made my way skillfully through the labyrinth.  
  
I found Isolde in a dead end. She was lying on the floor, whimpering. I knelt beside her while the two guards stayed alert for danger. "Isolde." I whispered. She opened her eyes slightly.  
  
"Majesty! They, I...I ran. Bria told me to. She said she'd hold them off." I nodded. That was like Bria.  
  
"Shush, little one. Where do you hurt?" I asked softly.  
  
"My wrist...and my head. They hit me with something." I nodded, running my hands over her scalp and finding the rising bruise. Then I checked her wrist. It was broken.  
  
"Isolde, one of my guards is going to pick you up, and then I'm going to take you to a room where you'll be safe. Alright?" She nodded a little, although the movement made her wince and tears spring to her eyes. I stood and waved one of the guards forward. He picked her up effortlessly, cradling her in his arms. I led him to my room in the palace, the other guard following behind, acting as rearguard.  
  
He laid her gently down on the bed, and I stroked her hair back from her face. There was a knock on the door, and one of the guards opened it, sword drawn. It was one of the three I had sent away.  
  
He came in and knelt before me. "The Princess is missing, your majesty. She's not within the party, and the palace is in the process of being searched. But..."  
  
"In all likelihood she's being abducted." I said shortly, fighting the panic rising within me. If she was hurt... "Can you explain this?" I asked, holding up a pendant I had found en route to find Isolde. The guard looked at it, then shrugged.  
  
"It looks similar to something the desert elves wear. Other than that, I don't know." I nodded, and began wrapping Isolde's broken wrist in a bandage.  
  
"I want you to go around the party, and get the rulers from as many lands as you can assemble." I said crisply, forcing myself to shift into business mode in order to override my worry for Bria. "Legolas, Éomer, Aragorn...and their wives if they want to come. Also...Faramir and Éowyn of Gondor...and Kera and Jacon. They all need to hear this." The guard started to the door. "And get Lissmar of the desert elves." I called. "I want to see if she can identify the pendant." He nodded swiftly, and was gone. I turned to the two guards. "Soon I'm going to be talking with the other rulers." I began. "I want you to guard this door. No one goes in or out unless I'm with them, and I specifically give you permission. I don't care if they claim to be her parents. No one gets in or out. If there are too many to defend against, do your best and make a hell of a racket. Isolde, lovely, if you hear them shouting, I want you to get under the bed. There's a panel on the wall that slides aside, and a space behind it. Go in there and slide the panel shut. You must do this. Do you understand?" I asked. She nodded.  
  
"Your majesty...do you think there will be trouble? Only they didn't try and kidnap me earlier. They just hit me on the head." I smiled, and kissed her forehead.  
  
"I don't think there will be any trouble, little one. But I don't want to take any chances, all right? So you must do as I tell you." She nodded.  
  
"I'm sorry I said those nasty things about you..."  
  
"Like I said, little one, I forgive you, and it's alright. Now try and rest." She snuggled into the pillow, and there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and the guard bowed.  
  
"They're all in the reception room, your majesty." He said. I nodded. I moved out the door, and shut it deliberately behind me. The two guards had assumed their post on either side of the door, and I noticed the guards at either end of the hallway also. I don't know who arranged it, but I was glad that they had.  
  
The guards bowed as I passed, and I walked between the guards by the door to the meeting room. Looking around, I saw everyone who I had specified was here, standing in small groups around the room. I stood by the big chair that stood by the round table in the centre of the room.  
  
"Friends!" I called. All conversation ceased, and everyone turned to me. "Please, sit. We have urgent matters to discuss." They sat around the table, and I took my place in the big chair.  
  
"There has been an assault inside the palace." I began calmly. I clenched my fists on my lap to stop my hands trembling. "The Princess Bria has been taken. Princess Isolde in currently resting in my chamber, which is guarded. She was struck on the head, and has a broken wrist."  
  
"Isolde! I must go to her!" Mairra cried, and rose.  
  
"They won't let you in." I said flatly. "I gave direct orders that no one was to be let in without me, and I will not postpone this meeting so that you may reassure yourself of the truth of my words."  
  
"My daughter is hurt!" Mairra protested.  
  
"Your daughter is not the only one." I said calmly. "Nor was she the only princess given free reign around my palace this night. Many...most of us have children who were free to roam. I have told the dina sikils that live here to shadow their footsteps. Your children are as safe as I can make them without infringing on their freedom. And the dina sikil are the most skilled of the warriors here."  
  
"Dina sikil?" Éowyn asked.  
  
"Silent knife." I translated. "They began as a cult of assassins, but they are now more bodyguards."  
  
"My daughter deserves-" Mairra began haughtily.  
  
"To be left in peace without your constant worrying." I snapped coldly. "Now hold your tongue. Your daughter is as safe as possible, and now we have to worry about eliminating the threat, rather than guarding our children from it." I laid the pendant on the table before Lissmar, the tawny haired ranger who came from the desert and knew it like the back of her hand. "Lissmar, do you recognise this?" She glanced at it.  
  
"Of course. It is the symbol of one of the Haradrim nomad tribes. Each has their own symbol, and the guards wear the pendant to identify from which tribe they come from." I nodded.  
  
"Do you know which tribe this is?" I asked. Lissmar nodded, then frowned.  
  
"My lady...if I could speak freely..."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"This symbol belongs to the Ennuia tribe, which is from central Harad. If memory serves correctly, their queen died recently. There is the possibility they took Bria to succeed the late queen." I frowned.  
  
"She's queen of a nomad tribe? I can't believe that's very prosperous." Mairra said. I sent her a warning look, but she either didn't see it or ignored it. "Why does it matter? She's queen there, all you need is another child and you'll have an heir."  
  
"Princess Mairra." Kera said tiredly. Mairra looked over at her. "Do us the ultimate favour, and shut up." Mairra stared in shock at her, then turned to me.  
  
"Aren't you going to reprimand her?" Mairra demanded.  
  
"No, I'm not. And in answer to your question, I'm barren now. Bria is my first and last child. So I'm going to get her back. I brought you here to talk about that. Lissmar, what are the chances of us going after her?"  
  
"With you? I think the Haradrim should be afraid, milady." Lissmar said with a slight smile. "Seriously, though. You could probably catch up with them if you left fairly soon, I imagine."  
  
"Very well. I brought you here to discuss that." I said to the group. "I'm going after her, but I can't do it alone. Will you help me?" I asked.  
  
"I'll go." Aragorn said immediately.  
  
"And I will." Legolas put it. Mairra sent him an offended look, but he ignored it.  
  
"And I shall." Éowyn put in.  
  
"If I might make a suggestion?" Lissmar said. "You shouldn't take a much bigger group than that, or you would be slowed down. In the desert, less is always more. I think you four only should go." I sent Lissmar a suspicious look. She was up to something, but I didn't know what. I knew she would never harm us, so what was she up to?  
  
"Very well." I said finally. "It will just be us four. I assume I'm asking a ridiculous question when I say that it will be safe to believe those who remain behind will rule well and fairly in our stead?" there were grins around the table. "Very well then. Legolas, Mairra, I'll show you to your daughter's room, and then I'm going to bed. This night has already been far too long." There were murmured agreements around the table.  
  
*&*  
  
There you go, my third chapter this weekend, I'm very proud of myself. I hope you all like it, and I'll try to keep updating regularly. Istalindar 


	6. Lands of sand

Here's chapter six – I hope you like it. I also put up a one off if anyone's interested, called The Burning. It's really confusing and really depressing. But read anyway. I hope u like chappie number 6. Istalindar  
  
Early next morning, the four of us set off. We wore loose clothes, and Éowyn and I had our hair unbound. Moving low across the sand with our hair blowing in the wind made us difficult to identify as humans.  
  
I was lucky in that I had learned much desert lore from the desert-elves, and I was able to teach the others how to move and act in the desert, and we were soon making good speed across the endless sands.  
  
We soon caught sight of a large party, which I assumed were the Haradrim. We followed them across the sands, resting when they rested, and moving when they moved, careful not to get too close. Legolas, Aragorn Éowyn and I soon began to work together effortlessly, instinctively predicting each others moves and planning our own to match. We made a good team, and soon we were all suntanned from the desert sun, which bleached Éowyn and Legolas' hair nearly white, and turned us all various shades of bronze.  
  
We stopped to sleep one night, which puzzled me as desert folk rarely slept at night, only during the hot day, and settled down for rest. I was uneasy that night, and found it hard to sleep. And when I did sleep, it was deep and heavy, and so unprepared.  
  
*&*  
  
I woke to find myself in the uncomfortable position known as body-slung. Namely when one is slung over the back of a beast of burden, and left there. Let it just be known that camels stink.  
  
I was slung across the back of the camel on my stomach, with both my hands and my feet bound. The camel was moving at a loping run, which wasn't particularly comfortable for me. I looked up to see another camel, with Éowyn slung over it in much the same position I was, only she hadn't yet woken. Then something struck the back of my head, and I descended into blackness.  
  
I woke when someone struck my face. I opened my eyes to look into a dark face with jet eyes. I groaned, rolled over, and threw up onto the sand.  
  
"Get up!" The voice snarled. I was dragged to my feet, and saw Éowyn in a similar position, supported by another Haradrim. "You are now slaves to the Queen Ismiella. You will do her every bidding, without question, or you will be killed. Understand?" I nodded, although the movement sent waves of nausea through me. "Get changed. Put these on!" I picked up the ball of red silk he had thrown at me, and my jaw nearly dropped open. There was not an awful lot of fabric here.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" The guard demanded. "Get dressed!"  
  
"A little privacy?" I asked. He grinned wolfishly, and shook his head. I sighed, then began pulling off my tunic.  
  
"Jané, what are you doing?" Éowyn hissed.  
  
"Getting changed. I'd rather be alive, with little modesty, than dead." I ignored the lustful looks the guard was giving me as I stripped naked, then redressed in the red silk he had given me. It was the outfit of the belly dancers I occasionally saw at market: a long thin silk skirt that was slit almost to the hip in many places so in essence I had several panels handing from a gold embroidered waistband. There was red underwear to put on, so I was spared that particular problem. There was a red bandeau top that was cropped so high that there was near enough a foot of bare skin between the base of the top and the top of the skirt. It did little more than just about cover my breasts, although it was so form fitting it didn't exactly leave much to the imagination. The 'straps' were little more than decorative, as support obviously wasn't high on their list of useful attributes. The straps were gold chains studded with obsidian and jet, which crossed just before my throat and fastened to the back of the top.  
  
When I looked over at Éowyn, I saw that she had changed her clothes, and they were more modest than mine were. I found this somewhat unfair, but decided that I could deal with the immodesty better than she could. Her outfit was similar to mine, only it was a teal green colour. The slits didn't go so high on the skirt, and she had a crossover top, so she at least had serviceable straps on her top. It looked good on her, I had to admit.  
  
Then the guards suddenly moved forward and before I had a chance to react, there was a bronze band fastened around my left ankle, connected to a chain held by the guard. I found Éowyn in the same predicament. Then the guards gave us a push, and we were guided to the grandest tent in what appeared to be a city of tents.  
  
*&*  
  
The tent was huge. Inside it was dim and stuff, although richly furnished. We were led before a chair that stood on a dais, although I could not see the face of the person who sat there. The guards kicked the back of our legs and Éowyn and I fell to our knees before the chair.  
  
"What have you got here?" The voice issued from the chair. I froze, then forced myself to relax. At least she wasn't dead.  
  
"Slaves, your majesty. We found them in the desert. We decided to bring them to you as a gift." The figure moved, and stepped into the torchlight. Bria stood, wearing sky blue silk that wrapped around her waist and draped across her shoulders. Beneath, I could see a sky blue top.  
  
"Stand them up." She ordered. Éowyn and I stood. She looked at us in the light, but there was no recognition in her eyes, which were strangely blank, the pupils dilated. "I like the look of them. I shall keep them." The guards bowed.  
  
That afternoon, Éowyn and I were roughly held while an old man with a red hot needle approached us. He came first to me, and I held back screams as he carved the image of a sun onto my stomach, filling in the lines with black ink until I had a black sun tattooed just left of my belly button. Then he turned to Éowyn and repeated the process, and she showed her true willpower when she made not a sound as her skin was marred.  
  
*&*  
  
Bria was known to the Haradrim as Ismiella. She was their much-adored queen, and what she said was law. As time passed, it became clear that she had no memory of her time as Bria of Anorondor. Éowyn and I both had to be very careful not to upset her, as she could kill us on a whim.  
  
She discovered my dancing talent by accident, and that increased my status in her eyes by a significant proportion. She enjoyed watching me dance to the drums and pipes she called often to play for her, and soon she gifted me with a red silk scarf from which hung many gold coins which made musical sounds when they struck each other. Éowyn and I were always shackled, though, so I had to adapt the dances to allow for that.  
  
We had been slaves to Bria for a week and a half when the same guards that had caught us brought Legolas and Aragorn before us. I saw both their eyes widen as they saw the three of us. Bria was sat in her chair, although Éowyn and I were draped as comfortably as possible across piles of cushions. Thinking about it, we were probably were in fairly whorish positions, not that I really cared.  
  
"Queen Ismiella, we have brought you these, who were following us." Bria stood, then she laughed. Turning to us, she smiled impishly.  
  
"What do you think, my girls?" she asked. I rose slowly, the coins on my belt clinking together, and went to Legolas. I touched his cheek, then turned back to Bria.  
  
"You are always right, my queen." I said softly. "Your judgement stands. But think how it would look to have an elf as a slave." Legolas looked sharply at me, and Bria clapped her hands in delight.  
  
"You are right!" she exclaimed. "I shall have them both! Then I shall have two pairs!" I mentally rolled my eyes at her, but I bowed my head and returned to her side. "Can either of you dance?" she asked. Legolas looked at me, stood behind Bria, and I nodded.  
  
"I can, majesty." He said quietly.  
  
"Excellent. Then you and Nierra shall dance together, and you will be all the more spectacular for it!"  
  
*&*  
  
Spectacular was certainly one word to describe what the two of them looked like when they returned. They had been given loose breeches in black and grey, to offset our red and sea-green. Neither men looked pleased at the shackle on his ankle though.  
  
"Dance! Nierra, dance with the sun-man!" Bria ordered. The drums began a steady beat, and I led Legolas in the dance until he understood how it was done, at which point we led each other, and tested both our gymnastic skills, and how fast we could move around each other. We were nearly as fast as each other, for although Legolas was elven, I was half-elven, from my father.  
  
When the dance finished, Bria was smiling, which was always a good thing. If she was smiling, she generally wasn't thinking about executing people.  
  
That night, Bria fastened out chains to the ring in the floor. Her tent had a stone floor which was dragged by an elephant when we were moving, it was that heavy. Attached to the floor, we definitely weren't going anywhere.  
  
"What on earth is going on?" Aragorn hissed.  
  
"We're slaves to Queen Ismiella." I answered, rolling onto my stomach and bending my legs at the knee.  
  
"You mean Princess Bria." Legolas corrected.  
  
"No, I don't. she doesn't remember that at all. At the moment she is Queen Ismiella, who is the ruler of the Ennuia tribe." Legolas shrugged. His eyes caught sight of the tattoo that was on Éowyn's stomach. It was healing well, although it would remain there for the rest of her life.  
  
"What happened?" he asked.  
  
"It's a mark of belonging. I imagine you'll get one too." I answered easily. Éowyn lay on her back, staring at the ceiling., her white-gold hair spread around her.  
  
"I miss home." She said softly. I raised myself onto my forearms and dragged myself across the floor, careful that I did not rattle my chain too much.  
  
"We'll get there." I answered, taking her hand. She turned her head to face me.  
  
"With Bria." She added. "I didn't come all the way south, become a slave and get a tattoo just to leave without her." I smiled.  
  
"You're right." I heard a rattle of chains, and saw Legolas standing. "No!" I hissed. I leapt forwards and knocked him flat to his back. There was a whistle, and then nine darts buried themselves in the far side of the tent. I looked down at him, and abruptly realised our position – I was laying completely on top of him. I quickly moved away. "Don't stand up." I said unnecessarily. I avoided looking at Legolas after that, though I could feel his gave resting on me often.  
  
*&* 


	7. Of Princes

Here's the next chapter for you, I hope you like it. Istalindar.  
  
We moved on the next morning. Éowyn and I were veiled, and our hands bound behind our backs. Then we were lifted onto camels, and guards rode behind us, and they were not reluctant to take full advantage of that. Bria's only rule when it came to slaves was that they were not incapacitated by her entourage, so the guards hands roamed free, and all we could do was stare blankly ahead through our silk veils and ignore the lascivious men sitting behind us. I saw Aragorn and Legolas both grow furious at our treatment, but I shook my head at them, and they could do nothing. They were forced to walk behind the camels that carried us, and as night fell Éowyn and I saved our water rations to bathe their feet, which were blistered and rubbed raw from the sand.  
  
Three days into the journey, we met up with another tribe, and the king came forward, and introduced himself as Rion of the Umbari. Bria immediately called a halt and the city of tents was erected. Bria and Rion sat long, talking, eating and drinking. Then Rion called for dancing, and Bria informed him with pride that we would dance. However, I was forced to tell her that Legolas could not, his feet were too sore. So Éowyn got up and volunteered to dance in his place.  
  
The dance we did then was different from the ones I did with Legolas. We were both aware that we danced for our lives, and that if we failed, then we would die. So instead of dancing for Bria, we danced for Rion, and if that dance had a name, it would be seduction. The drumbeat was slow, and Éowyn and I exercised stomach muscles I doubt we realised we had. I could see though that it worked. Rion's pupils dilated, and with a few sultry looks aimed in his direction, I ensured we had his full attention.  
  
At the end of the dance, Éowyn and I sat back down. Legolas grasped my wrist and leaned forward.  
  
"What in all hells are you playing at?"  
  
"Keeping you alive." I retorted under my breath. I knew he would hear me, being elven.  
  
"I can take care of myself." He snapped back.  
  
"Your dancing is your only value." I whispered flatly. "You can't dance right now, so Éowyn and I are dancing to keep you alive." His argument was cut off when Rion stood and came over to us.  
  
"Your beauteous and lovely queen has lent me the pleasure of your company this night." He said, his eyes unabashedly following the curves of both Éowyn's body and mine. He held out his hands, and we took one each. He effortlessly pulled us to our feet, and I ignored Legolas' angry hiss as we departed the tent.  
  
Rion led us to his own, equally big, tent. Only his had a large couch in it. He laid us down on it, and I sent a look at Éowyn that instructed her to play along.  
  
I have never used my body to manipulate. I have used the suggestion of my body to manipulate, but never my actual body. While nothing actually happened that night, between the two of us, we managed to convince Rion that something did. He was young, and I do not think he was much experienced with women, so Éowyn and I simply made him come a couple of times, and he was spent. I used magic to send him to sleep, and then Éowyn and I replaced our clothing and lay on the floor by the couch.  
  
Éowyn turned towards me and cried. I wrapped my arms around her, rocking her and whispering softly to her. She had never learnt to be as cold and unfeeling as I was, turning my heart off to the feelings of those around me. To me, what had just happened was a simple manipulation of a young man unused to being pleasured by two beautiful women. To Éowyn, she had just participated in an abhorrent act that was near enough betrayal to her own much loved husband, Faramir.  
  
"How can he ever forgive me?" she asked, looking up at me.  
  
"He would prefer you alive, dearest, than dead. Had you not done what you did, you might be dead. It is of no matter."  
  
"How can you be so cold?" she asked.  
  
"Much heartache has made me cold, lovely. I am nearing a hundred, and through the death and seeming desertion of loved ones, I can make myself cold. I pray you never develop the ability." It was true. It took a lot of loss and pain to make yourself as cold as I was. Too much. If I lost much more I almost feared my heart would freeze and I would die.  
  
*&*  
  
Rion returned us to Bria with many good things to say about us. He sent us many bothersome looks though, that clearly showed what he thought had happened last night. I knew neither Aragorn nor Legolas had missed those looks. And I fully expected to get interrogated about them.  
  
"But, after seeing Nierra dance so, last night, I would like to offer her the chance to dance with blades." My head shot up, and I stared incredulously at Bria and Rion. The Haradrim called me Nierra, as it meant night. Éowyn was usually known as Daimerra, or day. Probably because of our hair colour. The Haradrim weren't particularly original.  
  
"Indeed, Rion. It seems fair. Yes. Nierra will go with you when you depart, and you shall return her to me in six months, and we shall meet again, here." Rion smiled. Legolas gripped my wrist, but I pried him off. I knew if any affection was shown between any of us, we would be separated.  
  
Permanently.  
  
*&*  
  
Rion left early the next morning, and I was torn from sleep to go with him. I had not a chance to bid my friends farewell, though I was sure Legolas was actually awake when I left, though it was hard to tell as he slept with his eyes open.  
  
I was veiled yet again, and rode on a camel before Rion. It seemed he had taken a particular fancy to me. I didn't overly mind, he was good-looking, and mostly polite. I had no one to hold me back, and my body was my own. Besides, if this was the way to get him under my thumb, so be it.  
  
We camped that night, although only his tent was set up. When he led me to it, I knew what was expected of me. I pleasured him, and he tried to reciprocate, although he was obviously unpracticed. He fell asleep beside me, and I slept also.  
  
We were inseparable. Rion would not be without me, something the rest of his harem did not appreciate. During the day we either traveled or I learnt to dance with curved rapiers and scimitars, and by night I taught Rion how to pleasure a woman, and how it was to be pleasured. I slept with him many times, and each time he grew better at making me enjoy it.  
  
By the time six months had passed, I was near enough Rion's queen – I shared his bed and I danced for him. When we met Bria and her entourage, Rion and I arrived together on separate camels, and I controlled my own. I wore midnight blue, and I positively dripped silver-set sapphires. When Rion helped me down from the camel, I glanced over at Bria's face, and near enough saw she did not recognise me. When we approached her, I knelt before her.  
  
"My queen." I murmured.  
  
"You see, Queen Ismiella? I bring back your slave Nierra, as promised."  
  
"So I see." Bria said. She sounded somewhat displeased. "I do not recall her becoming your queen as part of the agreement."  
  
"She is not my queen. She is merely a favoured slave." Rion answered easily. "I may of course, wish her farewell?" Bria nodded irritably. I stood and faced Rion, and he kissed me. His hands grasped my head, although I did not touch him apart from where his skin met mine. Then he released me, and I turned back to Bria.  
  
"Shackle her." Bria ordered, and the guards fastened the bronze band around my ankle. "Take her inside." They did, and once inside, they stripped me of all the sapphires they could remove but were annoyed to find that most of them were attached to the dark blue bellydancing outfit I wore. It was similar to my old red one, but this one had working straps on the bandeau top. From the bottom of the top hung a ladder like curtain of silver chains, each covered in sapphires. A silver collar was around my neck, and from it were two strands of silver-set sapphires that ran across my shoulders, then split to attach to the straps. Then loose rings of the silver and sapphires ran down my arm, with a central chain that ran from shoulder to where it met the ring around my middle finger. The outfit had weighed a lot when I first wore it, but now it seemed weightless.  
  
That night, Bria sat in her chair and demanded to see what I had learned. She looked ill, now, nothing like she used to. She was pale and drawn, and her eyes were dull.  
  
I danced, whirling the blades around until they near enough made their own music to which I moved quickly and agilely. When I was done she grudgingly agreed that I was good. Then she slept.  
  
I demanded to know what was wrong with her from the others, and Aragorn explained that it looked like she was fading, and dying.  
  
"I can see that!" I hissed. I refrained from demanding how they could have let that happen –it was hardly their fault, and they were only slaves, they didn't exactly have a lot of power.  
  
*&* 


	8. What we were and are now

Here ya go, sorry it took so long, we've been redecorating and I've been offline...you don't know how traumatising it was for me. Hope you like it. Istalindar. PS sorry for any spelling mistakes...my computer isnt recognising anything but grammar errors, so I have to kinda read it thru and hope I don't miss any. If I do...forgive me.  
  
I woke in the middle of the night in a position that wasn't entirely unpleasant. It was cold in the tent, and it seemed sometime in the night I had curled up to Legolas in an attempt to get warm. Now I was spooned against him, his arms tight around me. I looked over and saw Aragorn watching me. He and Éowyn were in much the same position, though I doubt he was getting the same pleasure out of his position as I was from mine. He frowned at me, and I raised my eyebrows slightly.  
  
"What's you problem?" I asked silently. He looked shocked to hear my voice in his mind.  
  
"Have you got no morals?" he demanded of me, learning quickly and thinking the words rather than speaking them.  
  
"Plenty. Just none that refer to me using the man I love to keep me warm." I retorted.  
  
"He's married." Aragorn protested.  
  
"So? Mairra's not here, and I doubt she'll hear about this. It's harmless, Aragorn, and besides. Both you and Éowyn are married and you still look pretty cosy."  
  
"It's cold in here."  
  
"So it is." I said dryly. "And Legolas is keeping me warm, just like you're keeping Éowyn warm. We're not exactly wearing a lot, you might have noticed. And desert nights are cold. Be content, Aragorn. There's nothing going on between us, and our position is no less innocent than yours." He rolled his eyes at me, and I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.  
  
&  
  
The following day Bria did not get out of bed. I spent the day worrying about her, and Éowyn soon gave up trying to make me stop worrying.  
  
There was noise from outside, and a young Haradrim guard entered our tent.  
  
"Do any of you care for your queen?" he asked quietly. I nodded. The others sent me warning looks which I ignored. "She is being drugged. The drug is slowly killing her, like it killed the previous queen." He paused.  
  
"What do you want us to do?" I asked.  
  
"I want to save her. And I need your help."  
  
He outlined his plan. It was, simply put, a smash and grab, so to speak. We smash in the skulls of various guards, bang Bria on the head rather more gently, then abduct her and steal camels, and ride away.  
  
"But I don't know where to take her." The guard said. "I thought, since you aren't natives, that you'd know somewhere to take her."  
  
"What about Anorondor?" I said helpfully. Éowyn rolled her eyes at me.  
  
"I don't know. The Queen is said to have a rather strict policy regarding Haradrim. And if she turns us away, then what?"  
  
"I think I can get the queen to agree. And even if she doesn't, we can go to Gondor. They usually have a fairly good refugee policy." I smirked and Aragorn raised an eyebrow at me  
  
"So we take her to Anorondor, and if that fails, then Gondor. Will the king defend us?"  
  
"He will." Aragorn said definitely. The guard looked between us uncertainly, the nodded.  
  
"Very well." He stood to leave.  
  
"Wait! What's your name?" I asked him. He looked down at me. I suddenly realised how young he was. He couldn't have been much older than eighteen or twenty. He wasn't bad looking either.  
  
"My name? Chian." I nodded. "You will be ready tonight?" I nodded again and he gave me the lock-pick we would use to free ourselves as night approached. 


	9. Escape

As the sun finally set beneath the horizon, I quickly released myself. I then quickly picked the locks on the shackles around the ankles of my companions. They kept their shackles on loosely though, so it appeared nothing was out of the ordinary.  
  
When Chian came to the door of the tent I was ready, and he led me out and to Bria's tent, as though he had been sent to bring me. When we slipped inside her tent, we saw it was full of priests.  
  
"They are giving her the last dose! She must not take it." He hissed in my ear. I gestured, and the decanter filled with the potion shattered, the potion dripping onto the floor and soaking into the rich carpets. The tent was filled with exclamations and oaths as the priests reprimanded the unlucky priest who had held the decanter. Then they poured another glass.  
  
"Damn!" I hissed. I slid out of the shadows, gesturing for Chian to stay where he was, and then I used my palm fire to engulf my entire body. The noise and light drew the priests attention, and they flinched at the pillar of purple flame that stood in the doorway.  
  
"Leave her." I ordered, the flames changing my voice completely. The sensation of palm fire licking at my flesh tickled a lot, and I suppressed the urge to giggle. "She is done." One priest, obviously the leader, came forward.  
  
"What are you?" he demanded. He reached out to touch me and I burnt him, rather gleefully.  
  
"You called me with your words and potions. I have come for the Queen. Begone! Your purpose has been achieved." The priests hurried past me, and each time one passed, a tiny purple flame detached from me and fastened onto them, burying into them. They would all die before dawn. I've never liked priests. I guess we got off to a rough start in Gondor when they nearly killed Finduilas.  
  
My flames diminished, and I hurried forward. Bria lay on the bed, watching me. She said nothing, and made no move. I laid my hand on her forehead, and she sank into a deep sleeping oblivion. Chian scooped her up, and hurried for the door. "Let's go."  
  
I ran back to the slave tent, and retrieved my friends, then I led them to the camel enclosure, where the guards lay unconscious, and Chian was already there, putting Bria onto the camel, and sitting behind her. Legolas began to voice a protest, but I interrupted.  
  
"Legolas, ride with me. Aragorn ride with Éowyn. Chian and Bria will ride together. This way the weight is pretty evenly spread out, and the camels can all be controlled." Legolas looked like he still wanted to protest, but soon Éowyn and Aragorn were on a camel and ready, and I sat on the final camel and looked at him. He gave a huff of displeasure and leapt up onto the camel behind me.  
  
"My company's not that bad, is it?" I asked teasingly.  
  
"I cannot believe you trust...him...with our daughter." He complained.  
  
"What choice do I have? And anyway. He loves her, and wont let any harm come to her." I said, and even as I said it, I realised it was true. Chian did love her.  
  
"How do you know?" Legolas asked me. I simply turned to look at him over my shoulder and he met my eyes and smiled. "Very well." He agreed.  
  
&  
  
We moved quickly over the desert, and soon I could see the peaks of the Southern Mountains, once called the Mountains of Shadow, rise above the golden sand. We rested during midday, sitting in the scant shade of the dunes, talking quietly or sleeping. Chian gradually gained our trust, as he tried hard to see things from our point of view, and all the advice he lent us was good and sound.  
  
We were nearing the mountains when Chian called a halt. "The Queen is waking." He said. We all stopped, and Chian gently laid her on the ground. I knelt beside her, putting my hand on her forehead. Chian went to come forward, but Legolas held him back.  
  
"Wait." Legolas said quietly. "Watch."  
  
Ignoring them, I used my magic to delve deep into Bria's mind. The control of the drug was strong, but I soon defeated it, and pushed deeper into Bria's mind until I got past Ismiella and found Bria. Bria's consciousness was weak, beaten down by the drug, but I fed her my strength until I felt someone roughly pull me away.  
  
I collapsed in their arms, and Legolas stared at me suspiciously.  
  
"Ama?" The sound was faint, but it was enough to make me scramble up, back to my daughter's side.  
  
"Bria!" She sat up unsteadily, and hugged me.  
  
"What's going on?" She asked, looking around. "Where are we?"  
  
"In the desert just south of Anorondor." I answered. She looked at me quizzically.  
  
"But...why?" Then she flinched, turned a bit green, rolled over and threw up. She kept heaving, and I wrapped my arms around her. When she finished, Chian handed her the flask of water and she used it sparingly. She smiled in thanks to him, then narrowed her eyes "I recognise you." She said softly. He bowed, and she smiled.  
  
"I'm Bria." She said, holding out her hand. He took it and kissed the back of it, and Aragorn raised his eyebrows and me and I grinned.  
  
"Chian, my lady." He replied. She smiled.  
  
"Nice to meet you."  
  
That night we sat around on the sand, leaning against the camels. Bria would not leave my side, and felt disorientated.  
  
"I don't understand." Chian said presently.  
  
"What?" Éowyn asked. Bria lay sleeping between Éowyn and I, and Éowyn was stroking her hair.  
  
"What is she to you? You all seem to care greatly for her, even though you were only her slaves. And why do you call her Bria?"  
  
"Are you aware of the ways your people acquire queens?" I asked. Chian shook his head.  
  
"I am relatively new to the guard. The priests say the Queens are sent to us."  
  
"The guards kidnap a young woman to be their queen." Aragorn said. "Bria is...special to us. She was kidnapped and we came after her, only to be caught ourselves. We then felt it was best to look after her as slaves, where we would be near her.  
  
"Are you her father?" Chian asked him. Aragorn shook his head.  
  
"No, I am." Legolas said quietly. Chian then looked at me.  
  
"And you are her mother." I nodded. Chian then looked at Aragorn and Éowyn. "So who are you?"  
  
"I'm her uncle and Éowyn is a good friend, who came to help us." Chian nodded.  
  
"And now I am an outcast who must rely on you to help me." He said, rather forlornly.  
  
I reached over and touched his shoulder. "Don't worry. You helped us, and we shall help you." He looked at me, half in amazement.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked.  
  
"I shall tell you later, but not now."  
  
&  
  
Do you like it? There isnt a huge amount left to go, now. Just bits and bobs, and I'm still deciding whether Legolas and Jané get together or not? What do you think? (Probably a stupid question, but I thought I'd ask). Tell me. Istalindar. 


	10. Troubles and Solutions

Sorry this took so long, ff.net wouldn't let me on. Here's chappie 10, tell me if you like it. Istalindar  
  
We let the camels go at the base of the mountains, and started our way through on foot. We were all barefoot, apart from Chian, and the rocks hurt our feet, hardened as they were by the sand. I led them through the southern pass in the mountains, little more than a narrow passageway, and soon we were through, and looking down over Anorondor. But something was wrong.  
  
"It's changed, Ama." Bria said from behind me, frowning as she regarded the view. "It looks...sadder somehow." I shrugged.  
  
"Come on. The faster we get home the faster we can do something about it."  
  
"You live here?" Chian asked. "Where?" I pointed to the palace by the lake, which looked tiny from our vantage point. "You must be wealthy to live there."  
  
"Well, yes." I agreed. I grinned at him. "But then...I am the Queen of Anorondor." Chian nearly fell off the cliff in shock, and Bria dragged him away from the edge.  
  
"That wasn't very nice, Ama."  
  
"Sorry." But I grinned nearly all the way home.  
  
&  
  
It was night when we finally reached the palace. The guards at the gates were different, and we slipped past them without a word. I paused by the window to the kitchens and listened.  
  
"Well, you know Queen Kiele. Can't trust her with anything."  
  
"Jané didn't come back, though, and with Bria gone too..."  
  
"Then rulership should have gone to Kera. Not to some upstart courtesan."  
  
I passed from the window, furious. The others were waiting for me outside the side door to the palace.  
  
"Kiele's made herself queen. I don't know where Kera's gone." Bria grinned, and green fire flashed in her eyes. I grinned back, and Éowyn drew back.  
  
"Jané, your eyes..."  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"They just went purple." I smiled at Éowyn, then pushed past her.  
  
&  
  
I stood outside the doors to the throne room. The guards were asleep on the floor. I could hear Kiele inside with someone else.  
  
Then I used magic to throw both doors open at once, and I strode in, Bria and Éowyn on either side of me, but a little behind, and Legolas, Chian and Aragorn in a line behind them.  
  
"Kiele. So lovely to see you." I drawled as I strode up to the throne.  
  
"How dare you- guards!"  
  
"They wont come and save you, Kiele." I said matter-of-factly.  
  
"You killed them?" she gasped.  
  
"No. but I'm highly tempted to kill you. That's my throne, Kiele, and I don't appreciate you sitting on it."  
  
"I'm Queen now." She said imperiously.  
  
"No, Kiele." I said slowly, as though she was a small child. "You're an upstart courtesan that I picked off the streets. Now get off that throne!" I demanded, and all the torches blazed purple. Suddenly guards surrounded her, and she looked awfully pleased with herself. "Kiele, dear, dear Kiele. What a child you are." I took one of the swords from the guard's belts and used fire to raise it above her. Her gaze rose with it, and she watched as the purple fire blazed and melted the sword. A drip of the molten metal landed by her hand, and she shrieked. "I will tell you one more time, Kiele. Get off my throne."  
  
"Or you'll be facing a war." Éowyn added. I smiled at her.  
  
"Please! Relations with Gondor-"  
  
"Will deteriorate if you don't get off the damn chair!" Aragorn exclaimed. Kiele's gaze fell on him and her mouth dropped open.  
  
"I can't imagine Mirkwood would be too pleased to see an usurper on the Eastern throne, either." Legolas added. Kiele's fce drained of colour.  
  
"The Haradrim..." she began.  
  
"Aren't very happy with you anyway." Chian put in. she looked at him and fled, shrieking. We watched her go.  
  
"Fond of dramatic exits, isn't she?" Éowyn asked. I laughed.  
  
&  
  
It was late at night, and everyone had gone to bed. I sat alone in the throne room, draped over the huge chair. I stared into space, and was startled when a cool hand touched my shoulder.  
  
"What are you still doing awake?" Legolas asked quietly. I looked over my shoulder at him and sighed.  
  
"I don't know. Just thinking, I guess."  
  
"You guess?" he teased, coming around so he faced me. He was wearing brown trousers and a white shirt, which contrasted with his light bronze skin, so different from his original ivory, and near enough matched his sun- bleached hair. I gave a tired smile.  
  
"Don't tease me, Legolas." I protested weakly. "I don't know, its just...I didn't really expect Anorondor to go downhill as swifly as it did. We've been gone, what, nine months?"  
  
"Ten. I asked one of the servants." I was surprised, I could have sworn it was only nine.  
  
"Ten then. I guess...I'm still in shock from Kiele. I trusted her, Legolas!" he put his hand on my head, running his fingers through my hair.  
  
"There will always be someone who wants your throne, Jané. Its part of the danger in being a ruler. There will always be someone who wants the power they believe you have."  
  
"Power!" I snorted in a most un-ladylike way. "Responsibility."  
  
"They don't see it like that. Its seeing the difference that makes a good ruler." I smiled.  
  
"Thanks." He grinned.  
  
"It wasn't directed at you, its just a fact." I swatted his head, and he chuckled. "You need to go to bed, Jané. Come on." I slipped off the throne, and walked beside him through the palace. I would miss him when he left again, as I knew he would.  
  
We came to my door and I turned to face him. He smiled at me, and impulsively I rose on my toes and kissed him.  
  
His reaction was surprising. He didn't back away, as I thought he would, but wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to him and deepening the kiss. I did not complain, although I did reach behind me and open the door.  
  
Legolas walked in, half pushing, half carrying me before him. He laid me on the bed, and I looked up at him.  
  
"Legolas, are you..."  
  
"Sh, melamin. Be quiet." Then he kissed me, and the world I though crumbled was rebuilt. 


	11. More troubles and fewer solutions

A knock on the door woke me, and I slipped from the bed as smoothly as possible so I didn't wake Legolas. I wrapped a robe around myself and answered the door.  
  
"Your majesty, we've got a problem." I frowned at the woman who stood before me.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've just had...something...delivered. And it isn't pretty."  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"I suggest you get dressed. Meet me in the reception room in ten minutes."  
  
I did as I was told, wryly admitting to myself that the Queen of Anorondor was taking the orders of a common guard, and met her in the reception room.  
  
She stood to attention even as I sank into one of the chairs beside the small table.  
  
"Please." I gestured. "Sit." She did, looking rather out of place in her boiled-leather armour. "Now what is it?"  
  
"This morning four men stumbled into the country, carrying loads. They died soon after." I waited patiently for her to continue. "They had three burdens between them, a small wooden box made after the style of the desert nomads and two bodies."  
  
"Who were they?" I interrupted. She shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. I was hoping you could identify them. they were dressed richly. I think they're elves, although I have never met one before. But they look after the like in legends." I nodded.  
  
"The box?" I asked.  
  
"Contained these." The guard placed two glittering objects on the table, and my heart sank. It was the Mirkwood wedding ring and the gold sun pendant I had been wearing when the four of us embarked to retrieve Bria. "I thought I recognised them as yours, so..."  
  
"They are mine." I answered. I looked up and met her gaze. "What of the box they came in?"  
  
"I...did not think it suitable to show your majesty, especially this early in the morning."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"My lady, if you would come with me down to the morgue, I could tell you." I rose and followed her from the room. As we walked down the halls, I wondered at the room I had never realised was built.  
  
"Well, lady. You did tell the planners to address the servants, because they would know what they required to do their jobs. One of the army surgeons requested the morgue."  
  
"That would explain it then. What of the box?"  
  
"Both elves were killed rather gruesomely, and messily. The smaller of the two had been disemboweled, and her ... intestines had been wrapped around the box." The guard was quiet for a moment. "I hope these people die a death that is long and painful." She said fiercely.  
  
"Why?" I asked quietly.  
  
"The smaller...she looked little older than the princess. And her face...I think she was alive when they cut her open." I felt sick.  
  
&  
  
We came to the morgue, and I shivered involuntarily. The morgue had been built deep under the palace, where it was cool.  
  
"Lady, if I may be so bold..." one of the guards standing on duty outside the morgue handed me his cloak, and I smiled gratefully as I wrapped it around myself. Then I took the proffered candle and went down the stone steps into the cold, dark room. I excused the servants that stood around the room, then went to the stone table on which lay two bodies, draped over with grey cloth.  
  
I sat the candle on the edge of the table, and taking a deep breath, pulled the sheet away from the face of the first corpse. I gasped, and took a few steps back. The candle fell to the floor and went out, leaving the room in pitch darkness. I took a deep steadying breath, then made palm- fire spring from my hand. Using the purple light I picked up the candle and relit it. I then let the palm-fire on my hand disappear.  
  
I went to the next corpse, and steeling myself drew back the cloth. I was not surprised at the identity of the second corpse after discovering the identity of the first. I drew the cloth back a little further and saw that the guard's suspicions had been correct – she had been alive when they disemboweled her, and struggling, too, judging by the raggedness of it.  
  
Carved onto the breastbone of both corpses was the same symbol I had found in the labyrinth the night Bria had disappeared. So the Ennuia were responsible. The signs looked like grim necklaces, black with dried blood. Then I flung the sheets over their cold faces, picked up the candle, and left the morgue.  
  
Outside, the guards stood, waiting for me. I gave them the candle, then slumped against the wall.  
  
"Your majesty? Are you alright?" one asked. I waved him back.  
  
"Fine, just a little...I'm alright. But I need you to do something. Fetch Chian, the Haradrim I arrived with. I want to talk to him. And fetch Prince Legolas. Tell him the Queen wants to speak with him."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Get me a glass of water, too, please." The guards nodded, and hurried off.  
  
&  
  
Chian came and went before Legolas arrived. He saw the bodies, saw the symbols, and interpreted the message for me.  
  
"It's payback." He said. "We took the queen, so they kill a woman and child. It is not an unusual practise." He looked at me sternly. "My queen, if I could give advice...do not retaliate. Among the desert, this is seen as done. You took of them, they took of you, the matter is ended. All the tribes would see it so. Were you to retaliate back, they would all clump together and destroy you."  
  
"They are that strong?"  
  
"I have seen your armies, majesty, and your defenses. You would not hold back an army millions strong." My jaw dropped open at his reckoning of the numbers in the Harad army.  
  
&  
  
I was still thinking about it when Legolas arrived. He bowed, remembering the way in which I had sent for him. "Majesty." He said.  
  
"Legolas." He looked at me askance at my tone, and I held out the candle to him and opened the door. He went through and I did not follow, only watched him from the door. He set the candle on the table and pulled the sheets back. The look on his face near enough ripped my heart out, and I slowly descended the steps, closing the door behind me. He stood at the by his dead daughter's head, murmuring in elvish as he stroked her hair then closed her eyes. Tears ran freely down my face as I hung back, unable to interrupt his ritual. He then repeated the gesture for his dead wife. He looked up at me, pale but composed.  
  
"Why do you cry, Jané?" he asked. "I know you shared no good feelings with them."  
  
I came forward and touched Isolde's pale hair with my fingertips. "There was no love lost between Mairra and myself, aye, its true. But Isolde..." Legolas came over and lifted my chin. I met his gaze. "I would have loved any child of yours, Legolas, by any woman."  
  
"She reminded me of you." He said. "I don't know why. Sometimes it would be things she said, things you said when you were her age. Or a movement she made, or a look she took on when she didn't get her own way. It all reminded me of you, and I wondered how...someone like Mairra could give me a daughter so like you?"  
  
I smiled briefly, and he bowed his head over Isolde's cold body. I started towards the door, then turned back just before the steps.  
  
"I'll say this now, before I have another excuse not to. And I know its inappropriate. I should have married you, Legolas. And if I had another chance, I would not make the same mistake again." Then I fled from the morgue, berating myself all the way. What on earth was I thinking? His dead wife lying near enough in front of him and I say I'll marry him. I'm a bloody blithering idiot.  
  
Later, in the library, I was putting books away when Legolas appeared before me. He was drawn, and pale under his desert-tan. "Did you mean it?" he demanded. I looked at him, taking in his appearance.  
  
"I'm sorry, Legolas, I shouldn't....I shouldn't have said it." I muttered.  
  
"Did you mean what you said?" he demanded again, insistently.  
  
"Yes." I said quietly. "I made the mistake of saying no once, and I try not to repeat mistakes."  
  
"Good." He said, equally quietly. "Because I'm going to hold you to that." I looked at him in surprise, and he smiled slightly, before he left the library.

Next chappie up. i know they arent very long, and i'm sorry, but i actually finished this story around march, and i'm trying to get it all up. we're coming to the end now, and you guys will just have to see what happens. there's at least one surprise there. (for everyone except haz, who beat it out of me last week, the bitch.)


	12. Funeral

A/N I'm really sorry its taken so long to get this up...and it may seem a bit abrupt to some, but I'm coming to the end of a long fanfiction (especially counting Queens) and I'm running out of steam. There's only a couple of chapters left and they're finished and only need to be uploaded, so I wont make any more adjustments on them. I'm sorry this is such a short chapter, but it didn't seem right to attach this to another chapter...so I'll try and upload another one soon to make up for this one being so short. And btw, I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes. I've got a new computer but it doesn't have spell check on it, so I'm hoping for the best! Thanks, Istalindar.  
  
I led the funeral of Isolde and Mairra in Anorondor. There would be a memorial service in Mirkwood next week, but for now, the main service, and the cremation, would be here.  
  
All of Anorondor were dressed in grey, the dark grey of rainclouds that signify both passing and renewal. Delegates from Gondor, Mirkwood and Rohan wore black, or the mourning colour of their country. Mairra hadn't been particularly liked, but it seemed Isolde had made a place for herself in everyone's hearts, and people also came for moral support. It was no secret that Legolas had not truly loved Mairra, how could he? But his daughter had had all his love.  
  
It rained all day, and the fire would not start. Finally, Bria stepped forward, and pushing back her grey hood, started the wood afire with the green flames that licked from her hands. Tears ran freely down her cheeks, for while few but ourselves knew it, this was the funeral of Bria's half sister, as well as her stepmother.  
  
The green flames cast an eerie light, but, as Legolas pointed out, the green flames were fitting for two princesses who had lived in the Greenwood. Even as we watched the green flames lick at the velvet draped corpses, the skies opened once again and rain poured to the ground, drumming on the rocks and splashing in the puddles until there was a veritable chorus of noise. Smoke rose from the pyre, and soon there was little left of the two elves but wet ash.  
  
Bria let the flames fall, and then she came and stood between myself and Legolas, and she leaned her head on Legolas' shoulder even as her cold fingers twined with mine.  
  
I saw some of Mairra's family watching us: a woman I thought to be her mother and a man who I disliked, and Legolas had identified him as Mairra's brother. He spent most of the time watching Bria, much as a hawk watches prey, but all colour drained from his face at Bria's little demonstration with the palm fire. He had sent me an accusing look, and I had stared back, a small smirk forming momentarily on my lips. Bria never has been nor never will be prey. 


	13. The solution to all our troubles

Here's your extra chapter, as promised. I'll try and get them up as soon as I can...its summer now so I have time, though whether my internet decides to work is an entirely different matter. Anyway, hope you enjoy, and sorry for any spelling mistakes I missed. Istalindar.  
  
The time of mourning lasted thirty days and thirty nights from the time in the funeral. In that time, Legolas returned to Mirkwood to attend the second service for Mairra and Isolde, held by Mairra's family. Despite his words in the library, I did not expect him to return. I had given up hope long ago for him to return me, and I was having a hard time rekindling it, no matter our words and my feelings.  
  
One day, forty days after Bria had lit Isolde's and Mairra's pyre, and thirty days after Legolas had left us, I was trying to teach Bria some of the more traditional dances of Anorondor, but wasn't getting anywhere. She wanted to learn the sword dancing I had learnt from Rion's dancers in the desert.  
  
"How about, you teach me with swords, and I'll learn the traditional ones." She bargained, hands on her hips. I copied her position, staring back at her. She was wearing a full red skirt that rested on her hips and a matching red button down top that barely reached past her ribs, leaving her stomach bare. But it was hot outside, spring turning to summer, so I forgave her. I wasn't dressed all that much more modestly myself, in a full green skirt with a tight white satin bodice.  
  
"Fine." I gave in.  
  
"Swords first." Bria demanded. She tossed one a sword at me. It was one of the eastern scimitars.  
  
"Where did you get that?" I demanded.  
  
"Chian gave it to me." She said with a blush and a small giggle. I raised an eyebrow at me, and she sighed dramatically. "Don't look at me that way, mother!"  
  
"What way?" I said innocently. I nodded to the drummers and the piper who sat, amused, in the corner, and they started the music, a fast twirling music. I started dancing with the sword, and soon noticed that Bria was embellishing it with little tongues of green flame. I rolled my eyes even as I balanced the sword on my head, spinning in circles.  
  
"I hope you're not planning on teaching our daughter how to do that." The voice shocked me out of the reverie I had fallen into when dancing. And I stopped suddenly, the sword falling from my head with a clatter. I swayed dizzily, and two strong hands clamped on my shoulders. "Easy." I focused on a point on the floor until the swaying and spinning stopped, then looked back up at Legolas. He grinned down at me.  
  
"Hello." He said simply. I smiled and hugged him.  
  
"She didn't think you'd come back." Bria said with that knowing smugness most sixteen year olds adopt at some point in their lives. He pulled away and looked down at me.  
  
"Have you so little faith?" he asked.  
  
"You didn't come back last time." I said. I felt guilty for not trusting in him.  
  
"I didn't have a fiancée waiting, now did I?" Bria jumped up to us.  
  
"You finally said yes?" she asked me excitedly. I nodded. She laughed, still bouncing up and down, and clapped her hands excitedly.  
  
"I cant wait!" she half shrieked.  
  
"What for?" Legolas asked, watching her with a smile on his face. It was her smile.  
  
"The wedding of course!" Bria exclaimed, and Legolas groaned and buried his head in my shoulder. I stroked his blonde hair, grinning at Bria.  
  
&  
  
The wedding was huge. Really, really huge. Everyone came, from everywhere. The actual wedding itself took place in some wood a few miles away from the palace, with only the select few there - our family, our friends. The party afterwards...  
  
Bria organised it when I wasn't looking. That was probably why it was as big as it was. The palace guest rooms were crammed with ranking guests, and the kitchens were hot and busy. I ventured in once, and the head cook shoved an apple in my hands and chased me out again. They had no time for an interfering queen.  
  
No matter how much I hedge around talking about it, or refuse to admit it to anyone but myself, but the best thing I did in my life (apart from having Bria) was saying 'I do' at that wedding service. It struck me, all the time I had told Legolas no, saying weddings themselves meant nothing to anyone but priests, that that was hardly a reason not to marry. After all, isn't it a queen's duty to keep people happy? And if the priests were happy, and Legolas was happy, and Anorondor didn't mind me marrying Legolas, why the hell shouldn't I? Bria and Kera laughed at me when I told them this, and called me an idiot for only just working it out. At which point I stopped talking to them for about three days, the first because I was messing around, and the other two because I didn't see them.  
  
That was because they spent all their time organising the wedding. The brunt of the organisation happened in those three days, and I swear they bribed the curators not to listen to me at all.  
  
Bria spent hours trying to fix my dress, and made me stand still for an equal amount of time while she 'fixed' it for me. When it was finally finished it was simple but beautiful. Palest ice-blue satin, with a tight satin bodice, and a full skirt caught up in different places. It should have looked a disaster. It didn't. I wore no jewellery and my hair was styled and curled and pulled and fussed, but I refused outright to wear makeup. They ignored me, as Kera and Bria are apt to do, and when I finally appeared at the wedding I felt like a doll.  
  
Aragorn walked me up the aisle, looking all the while very smug. He was dressed in the silver and blue of Gondor, with the winged crown on his head. I had forgone my own crown, settling instead for the circlet that crossed my brow and disappeared into the pile of curled hair on my head. It had taken them ages to weave it into the hairstyle.  
  
Legolas turned to look at me as we walked up, and I suddenly felt shy. Shy, of all things! I'd known him for ninety odd years, and I was shy!  
  
"He's nervous too." Aragorn muttered. I smiled briefly. Good. Damn Legolas for making me feel like this. Legolas was gorgeous, of course, in the Mirkwood dark green, his silver crown resting on his forehead, his pale gold hair shining in the sunlight.  
  
When I joined him before the priest he flashed me a smile before the priest began to drone the service. I swear I am going to invent a new service, one that makes people smile, and one the priest's don't sound so bored saying!  
  
&  
  
After the service we were surrounded by well wishers, not least among was our daughter, clothed in gold and shining like the sun with her rich red hair long and loose around her bare shoulders. I think she gave Legolas his first hug from her, and he looked stunned afterwards. She giggled and ran off again, to talk to Eldarion.  
  
The guests at both the wedding were dressed in a myriad of bright and pale colours. Éowyn in pale green, Arwen in violet, Kera in red, others in every shade of blue, orange, pink, indigo, purple, scarlet, mauve...the party was a living, moving rainbow.  
  
I stood at the banister in one of the upper galleries, having escaped the hustle of the party, as I was apt to do. The dance floor was alive with couple dancing, and I watched in amusement as Lorilei, Éomer's daughter, dressed in pale purple, ran across the dance floor, gracefully weaving through the couples, closely followed by Boromir, Éowyn and Faramir's son, dressed in dark blue. As cousins, they spent much time together, visiting, and once, if rumours were true, running away from their respective homes to spend a week riding and enjoying the wilds before their frantic parents caught up with them.  
  
"What are you thinking?" he asked, his arm snaking around my waist.  
  
"That it is a shame those two are cousins. They'd make a fine match."  
  
"You'd really want Lorilei and Boromir on the throne at Meduseld?" Legolas asked teasingly. I frowned.  
  
"You're right. They'd cause chaos." Legolas laughed, and kissed my shoulder. I turned in to him, rising to kiss him. We stayed like that for a moment, before returning to watch the party.  
  
"Bria and Chian are very close." Legolas observed. I saw them by the window on the far side of the hall: Bria, dressed in gold, standing next to Chian in his customary red and black.  
  
"They love each other. They will be lovers, if they aren't already." I said.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Don't, Legolas. It doesn't matter. If they love each other, I don't mind. Royalty in Anorondor is not exclusive. Princesses may take the nameless as lovers if they wish."  
  
"By order of the Queen?" Legolas teased.  
  
"By order of their hearts." I replied softly. "The queen has nothing to do with it. There is no alliance to be sealed by her marriage that Anorondor hasn't already got." Legolas smiled. He couldn't argue – it was true. Gondor was ruled by my brother. I was married to the Prince of Mirkwood, and a Prince among elves. The king of Rohan was practically my son. My daughter looked as though she would take one of the Haradrim as her lover.  
  
Middle Earth was at peace. There was no one to go against us, our great circle of royalty. There was no one who'd want to. I was married. I was happy, my country was happy, my world was happy. There was nothing else I wanted in all the world. But there was one thing...  
  
"Legolas?" He turned to me, his blue eyes shining.  
  
"I'm going to have your child."  
  
END 


	14. Epilogue

i'm so sorry this took so long, but u wud not believe the complicated system i have to upload at all, but at least im managing. uploads r gonna be very slow, but please be patient with me and i'll do them as often as i can. i hope u enjoy this.

&

I thought you would like to know what happened to her. My mother, Queen Eldira Jané, died in the year 160 of the fourth age, forty years after the death of my uncle Aragorn. My father, Legolas of Mirkwood, passed almost the same instant as my mother.

I only found the book containing her story when I was tidying up her things after her death. The story she wrote ends with her eventual formal marriage to Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, after she rescued me from the Haradrim a little after my sixteenth birthday. I'm two hundred and forty now, and a lot has happened since.

My mother ruled long, well and fairly. She had only one more child after me, a boy called Taure. He inherited Mirkwood when he was twenty, and rules there still. Legolas installed a steward at Mirkwood while Taure was younger, meaning he had the time to live here. But he always remained 'prince', for much as the people of Anorondor liked him and approved of his marriage to my mother, they did not want a king. I don't think he cared much for titles, though.

Kera died when she was eighty seven, which was young for those in my family who lived long, but old for those of her family who died young. The entire country was plunged into mourning, and Jemeili became mother's steward, while Coran, who disliked anything to do responsibility anyway, happily became a ranger in the fashion of my uncle, travelling Middle Earth.

When my uncle, King Elessar of Gondor, died, we all attended his funeral. Soon after, my aunt, Queen Arwen, died on Cerin Amroth, where father told me she and uncle had been betrothed. Near enough all of Middle Earth went into mourning for them. They were famed in tales, and most of the west had been included in uncle's kingdom, and all were sad to see them go.

We were present for my cousin Eldarion's crowning. Eldarion surprised us all by handing the crown to mother, and asking her to crown him, as uncle had crowned her. Mother agreed, and so the King of Gondor was crowned by the Queen of Anorondor.

&

As my mother edged towards her three hundred and twenty-first birthday, both she and my father knew her death was coming. She arranged everything as best she could for me, the new Queen of Anorondor, and she spent the last week of her life in the gardens, looking as though age had finally caught up with her. Taure returned from Mirkwood as soon as he heard, and we were all surprised to see him, and how he had grown. Fine-featured, he looked remarkably like Father, only his hair was dark brown, nearly black, like Mother's. His eyes were her green too.

She was frail, a small stooped woman, a shadow of her former beauty. Her black hair was nearly white, her skin wrinkled. But her mind was as quick as ever, and her eyes flashed with life everlasting, that the chains of age could not imprison.

It made a curious sight, my mother, old and frail, leaning on the arm of my father, who was still young and strong, although sorrow lined his features more often then laughter. Then there was myself and my brother, young though we were, but burdened with tears.

We were all together in her last moments. It was just the four of us in her room. She lay on the bed, my father resting beside her while I sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at the two of them. Taure stood by the window, hands clasped tightly behind his back to still their trembling. He had always been amazingly close to our mother. She kissed me goodbye, and slid the emerald Mirkwood wedding ring my finger. She tried to clasp the gold sun pendant about my neck, but her hands shook too much, and father did it for her. She called for Taure, and he came forward, trembling. She told him not to fear, and he smiled. She kissed him and whispered something to him, so quiet that even I did not hear, despite my elven hearing. Then she kissed my father, told us she loved us, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. My father kissed Taure and I goodbye, whispered 'I love you' and placed his hand over mother's heart. He laid his head on the pillow beside hers, and when her heart stopped beating under his hand, his heart stopped beating in his breast, and my parents died.

&

That was yesterday eve, and in a few minutes, I will go to climb to the nalla'orod, the tallest peak in Anorondor since the destruction of Mount Doom before I was born. There my parents will be cremated, and their ashes will pass across the lands they lived in.

I had thought to burn this book with them, a last telling of mother's life, but I've decided against it. Perhaps someday someone will find it, and everyone will know of the first Queen of Anorondor since the days of Sauron. Perhaps they won't and this book will age and rot somewhere. Who knows?

&

When Taure and I set my parents alight with 'palm-fire', red and green flames will reach to the sky, and looking towards the west, I will see answering flames, from the beacon of Gondor, and if I strain my half-elven eyes, I might fancy I can see the beacons all along the White Mountains spring to light. The beacon near Rohan will light, until beacons across all of Middle Earth, set up by my uncle, will tell of the passing of Queen Eldira Jané of Anorondor and Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, who were known by many, and were legends to most.

&

Mother and father's death leaves me as Queen of Anorondor, and Taure as king of Mirkwood, as my grandfather, King Thranduil of Mirkwood, sailed long ago for Valinor. I have a lover, though I have not married him. I am pregnant with my first daughter, and her name will be Amilya, meaning 'hope' in old Mordor. I go now to the funeral, and then tomorrow it will be my crowning by King Eldarion of Gondor. Then I will be Queen of Anorondor until my death, when Amilya will take up the crown. And so the line may continue on.

This was mother's story. I thought I should finish it.

Queen Bria of Anorondor

Daughter of Queen Jané of Anorondor and Prince Legolas of Mirkwood


	15. Note

Hey guys. I know this story has been finished for absolutely ages, but I was re reading it and actually found it a little annoying…I blame it on my age. Anyway, I'm thinking of rewriting it, with the same plot etc though with better writing. Tell me what you guys think…do you want me to simply replace the current Sands of the Desert, or load the story as a new story? I was really proud of Queens of Mordor and felt a little let down by Sands of the desert so if you guys could give me your thoughts on the subject I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks, and Happy Holidays!

Istalindar.


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